Practical Research 2
Quarter 1 – Notes 7
Review of Related Literature
Review of Related Literature (RRL)
a compilation of studies related to a specific area of research (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2020)
evaluates, classifies, and summarizes all the relevant previous studies conducted on a specified topic
designed to justify your research by exposing the gaps in the previous studies
literature review is centralized
forms a "picture" for the reader, providing support and full comprehension of the developments in the field,
acknowledging, considering, and adapting previous related significant works in the field into your research
plays a significant impact in the discussion of the results and findings
Note: You should choose studies that are focused on your topic rather than collecting a broader scope of studies that are
already not relevant to your research.
Three (3) ways of using literature review in the discussion of your study:
a. providing context as a foundation to develop your ideas
b. comparing your findings from other previous related studies
c. stating what contribution your study has made in the field
Three (3) common errors that are usually made when including literature reviews in the discussion of the study:
a. There are wide range of studies being included most of which are not anymore relevant to your specific topic under
investigation.
b. Related article mentioning the original article is cited rather than citing the original article itself
c. Previous work has been cited by the researcher based only on the abstracts and without even reading the entire
research.
Purpose of a Literature Review
1. Discover the connection of your research to the existing body of knowledge and real-life situations
2. Identify more theories or concepts as the foundation of your research study and learn from them
3. Determine the relationship of your research with previous research studies to prevent duplication and to
acknowledge other researchers
4. Acquire knowledge of the accuracy and significance of your research questions.
5. Acquaint yourself with the technical terminologies relevant to your study
6. Determine possible gaps, conflicts, and open questions left from other research which might help you in formulating
and justifying your research ideas
7. Clarify misconceptions on previous research and help refocus, polish, and contribute to the development of the
body of knowledge
Structure of Literature Review
1. Introduction - presents the fundamental idea of the particular study of the literature review.
2. Main Body
consists of the organized discussion of sources
where you summarize and synthesize your literature review and reflect on how they related to your study
Outline of the Main Body of a Literature Review (BNHS Pattern):
1. Theory 3. Theory
2. Study Related to the Theory 4. Study Related to the Theory
5. Theory 9. Related Studies to the Researcher’s
6. Study Related to the Theory Thesis
7. Three Legal Bases a. International Related Study
8. Related Literature (at least 3 literatures) b. National Related Study
c. Local Related Study
Note:
Choose related studies and pieces of literature from 2019-2024 only.
An undergraduate research paper should have a maximum of 15 pages for literature background.
Since RRL is an extended version of the rationale, the following should be observed:
- In-text citations must be cited properly and their source should be listed in the references in the APA
style.
- APA In-text citation format should vary. Both narrative and parenthetical in-text citations should be
utilized.
- Do not keep on using the same verbs and words such as according to, based on, etc. in your paper.
- The use of transitional words must be done to have a smooth shift from one paragraph.
3. Conclusions/Recommendations
emphasize what you have learned from reviewing the literature and where your study leads to
Type of Sources for a Literature Review
Three (3) basic types of sources (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2020):
1. General references
- sources in which a researcher refers to track down other sources
- Examples: dictionary, atlas, encyclopedia, handbook
2. Primary sources
- publications in which a researcher accounts for the findings of his or her investigations
- most are found in journal articles
- Examples: interviews, speeches, government documents, statistical data, a journal article reporting
new research or findings, literature, newspaper advertisements and reportage, and
editorial/opinion pieces
3. Secondary sources
- publications in which a researcher considers the work of others
- Examples: journal articles that comment on or analyze research, textbooks, dictionaries and
encyclopedias, books that interpret, analyze, political commentary, biographies,
dissertations, newspaper editorial/opinion pieces, criticism of literature, artworks or music
Where can you find the review of related literature?
1. Books - books containing a collection of research materials and articles. You can find citation information on them
2. Scholarly Journals
academic journals or peer-reviewed journals
filled with peer-reviewed information on research
written by a scholar in the field and the researcher is always identified
includes lists of the sources of the information like footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography
advanced terminologies since the researcher uses technical language in their field of study
3. Dissertations
a final requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in which the student or researcher has to
complete a work of original research
4. Government Documents
support research undertakings and publish the findings of the study
usually kept at the government and some school libraries
5. Policy Reports and Presented Papers
discussed with non-academic readers
initiate by identifying an issue or phenomenon that usually claims an answer and they are focused on being
persuasive
supplemented by policy briefs that summarize the papers
6. Periodicals
findings of the study which can be seen in newspapers, in popular magazines, on television or radio
broadcasts, and in Internet news summaries
chosen edited summaries done by journalists for the general readers